By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — As fuel prices continue to rise, tricycle drivers in the town center have been forced to change their operations. Instead of roaming the streets looking for passengers, they now stay parked in designated waiting areas, picking up passengers arriving from buses and multicabs from neighboring towns, or queuing for their turn in front of the town’s three shopping malls.
Renato Cubil, a tricycle driver in Zone 1, explained that the local tricycle drivers’ group made the decision to park in designated areas to conserve fuel and cope with dramatically lower daily earnings, which now average around P300.
“We’re now buying local old-stock rice at just over P40 per kilo because imported rice is now priced at P65 per kilo. This is just one of the ways we’re trying to survive the crisis,” Cubil shared, highlighting the growing financial strain on the drivers.
Adding to the uncertainty, the tricycle drivers are anxiously waiting for the government’s P5,000 fuel subsidy, which has begun rolling out in Metro Manila. While transport drivers in the capital have started receiving the subsidy, many in rural areas, including Agusan del Sur, remain in the dark.
“We still don’t have any information if the subsidy will reach us, but we remain hopeful it will come, even if it’s after the crisis ends,” Cubil said, echoing the uncertainty felt by many in the transport sector.
Fuel prices in the town vary significantly. On average, diesel is priced at P105 per liter, while gasoline is sold at P98 per liter. Multinational brands like Shell have some of the highest rates, with gasoline at P100 per liter and Fuel Save Diesel at P128 per liter, while their V Power Diesel is pegged at P138.40 per liter.
In contrast, HKAK, a local gas station, offers the lowest prices in the area, with premium gasoline at P89.50 per liter, regular gasoline at P89.37, and diesel at P105.50.
Bebs Largo, a cashier at HKAK, confirmed that their current fuel supply would last until tomorrow, Wednesday. They are waiting for instructions from the owner regarding whether to adjust their prices when the tanker from Cagayan de Oro City arrives in the evening.
Meanwhile, Supreme Fuels, a local station operated by businessman Wilmar Sabaña, has been closed since Monday due to dwindling fuel supplies. Sabaña confirmed that they would resume selling fuel on Wednesday and are expected to match the rates of other local distributors when their new shipment arrives.
Before closing, Supreme Fuels had diesel at P105 per liter, premium gasoline at P86.80, and unleaded gasoline at P85.80.
As transport drivers continue to cope with rising fuel prices and uncertain incomes, the government’s promised subsidy could provide much-needed relief. However, until the payout reaches local drivers, many remain hopeful yet uncertain, navigating the ongoing fuel crisis with whatever resources they have left.
###
